I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

"Jiang Chen! You're amazing!"

Su Qing hugged the heavy, pure gold pig that she estimated to weigh three or four pounds, her little face flushed red with excitement.

She was practically clinging to Jiang Chen's arm, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

Tourists and villagers around also cast envious and admiring glances at them.

"That young man is amazing! He hit the target in just one lap from over five meters away!"

"Hey, you don't know yet? That's Brother Chen from our village! There's nothing he can't do!"

Amidst a chorus of compliments and praises, Jiang Chen, pulling Su Qing along, finally managed to squeeze out of the crowd.

Just as the two were about to get something to eat, Wang Dagou's somewhat anxious voice suddenly came through Jiang Chen's walkie-talkie.

"Brother Chen! Brother Chen! Something seems off in the antique section! Come quick!"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.

In the few days since the market opened, his biggest worry has been the mixed quality of the antique and collectible area.

This place is treacherous; the truth is hard to discern, and accidents are most likely to happen here.

"Let's go take a look."

Jiang Chen patted Su Qing's hand and pulled her towards the antique section.

The antique section is located on the westernmost side of the entire market square. Compared to the bustling food area, it is much quieter here.

Blue cloths were laid out on the ground, on which were displayed various bottles, jars, coins and jade artifacts that were claimed to be "ancestral treasures" or "unearthed from the construction site".

Jiang Chen glanced around and saw that nine and a half out of ten stalls were selling counterfeit goods.

However, since both parties are willing to buy and sell, Jiang Chen doesn't care as long as there's no forced buying or selling.

But when he walked to a corner, he saw a familiar figure.

Jiang Wanhai, also known as Jiang Chen's famously stubborn Third Master, was seen squatting in front of a street stall, leaning on his mahogany cane, wearing reading glasses, and staring intently at a large bowl covered in yellow mud.

The stall owner was a tall, thin man with a pointed face and a monkey-like appearance, who spoke with a non-local accent.

Seeing Jiang Wanhai's obvious delight with the item, he quickly pulled him aside, using his body to block the view from others.

The skinny man carefully took out the large bowl from a tattered cloth bag, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously.

"Sir, judging from your demeanor, I can tell you're a connoisseur who knows your stuff."

"To tell you the truth, I dug this treasure out of a large construction site near here a couple of days ago! It was already dark when I found it, and I was afraid the foreman would see it, so I smuggled it out overnight."

The skinny man was spitting as he spoke, exaggerating wildly.

"I had a knowledgeable friend examine it; it's from the Ming Dynasty! A genuine official kiln blue and white porcelain! Look at the mark at the bottom, the patina—it would take hundreds of years to achieve this effect!"

"If it weren't for my elderly mother urgently needing money for surgery, I would never have sold this family heirloom!"

Jiang Wanhai usually prides himself on being cultured and enjoys indulging in refined pursuits. He has a deep understanding of these old objects.

He put on his reading glasses and examined the large bowl from all angles for a long time.

The mud on the bowl still carried a fresh dampness, making it look so real.

The indistinct inscription at the bottom of the bowl ignited a burning desire within him.

Find a bargain!

Today's a great day to snag a bargain!

Jiang Wanhai's breathing became somewhat rapid.

He looked up, glanced at the skinny man with feigned composure, tapped the rim of the bowl with his finger, and asked in a deep voice, "How much?"

The skinny man saw an opportunity, and his eyes were practically overflowing with greed.

He held up one finger.

"Sir, you're an expert, so I won't beat around the bush. One price, 100,000!"

Jiang Wanhai was startled, but then felt that the price was reasonable.

If it's a genuine Ming Dynasty official kiln piece, it's worth more than 100,000, even 1 million.

But he still adopted an expert's air and shook his head: "Too expensive, it's just a bowl."

The two engaged in a heated debate, slashing the price down from 100,000 to 10,000.

Jiang Wanhai felt he had gotten a huge advantage, gritted his teeth, and said to the skinny man, "You wait here for me! Don't leave!"

After saying that, he leaned on his cane and ran briskly towards the temporary ATM at the entrance of the square.

A short while later, Jiang Wanhai rushed back with a stack of brand-new red banknotes that still smelled of ink.

"for you!"

He stuffed the money into the skinny man's hand, then hugged the clay bowl to his chest like a precious treasure, afraid that the other man might change his mind.

The skinny man took the money, weighed it in his hand, and grinned from ear to ear.

He cursed himself under his breath, calling himself a "senile old man," stuffed the money into his pocket, and turned to make a quick getaway.

However, he had only taken two steps.

A large hand, like an iron clamp, grabbed the back of his neck, rendering him instantly immobile.

"Dude, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

A lazy voice came from behind the skinny man.

Jiang Chen, along with Wang Dagou, had somehow appeared behind him.

Jiang Chen didn't even glance at the skinny man; his gaze fell on the large bowl in Jiang Wanhai's arms, and he chuckled.

"Third Master, you have excellent taste."

"Spending ten thousand yuan on such a huge... plastic bowl?"

Jiang Chen's words were like a needle, instantly shattering Jiang Wanhai's beautiful dream.

Jiang Wanhai's face flushed red instantly, as if his pants had been pulled down in public.

He held the "precious" bowl, stiffened his neck, and glared at it.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat!"

"You know nothing! This is an official kiln piece from the Ming Dynasty! It's the real deal!"

Jiang Wanhai looked as if his authority had been challenged, and he was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at his opponent.

"That's right! What do you know, you little brat! Don't delay my business!" The skinny man chimed in, trying to break free from Jiang Chen's grasp.

The surrounding tourists and vendors were also attracted by the commotion and gathered around, pointing and commenting.

Jiang Chen looked at his Third Master's stubborn expression that said, "I wasn't fooled, I have a discerning eye," and didn't waste any words.

He snatched the large blue-and-white porcelain bowl from Jiang Wanhai's arms.

Under Jiang Wanhai's shocked and angry gaze, Jiang Chen casually picked up a small iron hammer from a blacksmith's stall next to him.

He weighed the "antique bowl" in his hand and grinned at the skinny man and Jiang Wanhai.

"Whether it's real or fake, just break it open and see, then we'll know."

He finished speaking without waiting for anyone's reaction.

Jiang Chen raised his hammer and brought it down on the bottom of the "blue and white porcelain" bowl!

"stop!"

Jiang Wanhai let out a shrill cry of alarm.

"Bang!"

A dull thud.

The expected crisp sound of porcelain shattering on the ground did not occur.

The large blue-and-white porcelain bowl only made a dull "plop" sound under the heavy blow of the hammer.

The bottom of the bowl did not shatter like porcelain; instead, a large pit was visibly formed.

From that broken hole, the white... plastic base was revealed.

Even after the thin layer of blue-and-white glaze at the bottom of the bowl was broken open, a line of small, simplified Chinese characters pressed out by a mold clearly appeared in everyone's sight.

—[Proudly presented by Yiwu Small Commodities Wholesale Market]

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Then, with a "pfft," someone couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Immediately, the crowd erupted in a deafening burst of laughter!

"Hahaha! That's hilarious! A Ming Dynasty imperial kiln piece? From Yiwu!"

"This old man is something else, spending ten thousand yuan on a plastic basin, and a high-quality fake at that!"

Jiang Wanhai's old face instantly changed from flushed red to liver color, and then from liver color to deathly white.

He stared at the plastic bowl that had been smashed to its original shape, his body swayed, and he almost choked and collapsed.

He snapped back to his senses, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the skinny conman who was now terrified.

"Fine! You heartless liar!"

Jiang Wanhai was so angry that he trembled all over. He raised the mahogany cane in his hand and was about to smash it down on the skinny man's head.

"You dare to try and cheat my Jiangjia Village! I'll beat you to death today!"

When the skinny man realized he had been exposed, he no longer bothered to pretend.

He shoved Jiang Wanhai away, a ferocious and ruthless glint in his eyes.

He suddenly pulled a switchblade from his pocket, which snapped open with a "whoosh," its tip gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The skinny man brandished his knife and roared viciously at the people around him.

"Get the hell out of my way! Mind your own business!"

"Believe it or not, I'll stab you to death!"